Broken Bones of Our Souls

Helen Syski sees God at work in bringing up the past.

When my husband broke his leg a few years ago, we learned an interesting fact: the break will never heal fully until it is used again. Initially, wearing a cast and bearing no weight are necessary for the bone to mend. But then, while there is still a crack and healing is weak, he began his physical therapy to learn to walk. The bone needed to experience concussive force—gradually introduced by the PT—or it would never grow strong.

Our souls work the same way. Thanks to Adam and Eve, our soul-bone is broken. Consider the Magisterium of the Church our cast. It sets firm boundaries that keeps our bone in the right position while it mends from sin. However, we are made for more than obeying rules by external pressure. Jesus came to fulfill the spirit of the law. We are called to walk—run!—His way with love and strength and freedom. As long as our bone is strong enough to stay in place without the help of a cast, we are ready to begin to walk! We must be tested, we must be tempted, we must practice walking in virtue in order to grow strong and be fully healed. The Magisterium ensures our bone is aligned, but we flourish when that alignment is internal and strong.

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Through life, we break a lot of soul bones! Be it sin, traumatic experiences, outside events—we find ourselves broken and in need of healing. There is always a time of the cast when we cannot bear weight, a part of our soul is too broken. We must retreat and be sheltered in some way in order for that bone to stay aligned with God while it begins to mend. This time is important for the initial healing and should never be rushed or disregarded. However, we also must listen to the Holy Spirit to know when it is time to begin the testing and flexing again, that we may grow strong and whole. We must also listen to the Holy Spirit to progress in the correct way, that we do not overstrain ourselves and rebreak our bone, nor wait too long and lose whatever good muscle was left.

These progressions are often presented as unsought opportunities to reapproach the past. We usually are not asked to go out of our way to “face” a fear or relationship. That person often appears—at a park, or at Mass—and Jesus is asking you to let Him in and further the healing. Or perhaps there is suddenly an old activity re-presented in a different context. It has been healing for me to watch my children learn to swim; watching their heartfelt joy in the water has helped me to experience swimming in a new light.

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We must be tested, we must be tempted, we must practice walking in virtue in order to grow strong and be fully healed. #catholicmom

Metaphors only go so far. There are things we leave behind for good because they are harmful to us; not all things involved in our injuries are safe or wise to reapproach. But Jesus is our Physician and will guide us. He brings good from all things, including the journey of healing, and gives us the Sacraments so that He is not just spiritually but also physically present to us. When you know how deeply God cares for us, it becomes so obvious that Jesus is really, truly present in the Eucharist and Confession. Love such as His cannot be satisfied without it!

So do not be afraid to walk on those broken bones when He calls you, sister! Have faith and walk.

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